Insane App Deals for Android Devices!

For those of you out there who are Android users/fans be sure to swing by the Android Market for the next 10 days.  To celebrate 10 Billion App Downloads from the Market, Google is selling select apps for 10 cents a piece!  That's a great deal! 





 And to stop the rumors right away, these aren't crappy apps either.  Today's deals were:

- Minecraft Pocket Edition
- Soundhound
- Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD
- SwiftKey X Keyboard   (Highly Recommended)
- Great Little War Game
- FieldRunners
- Edmondo Sports Tracker Pro
- AutoDesk's Sketchbook Mobile (Highly Recommended)
- Paper Camera
- Color & Draw for Kids:phone

Be sure to swing by the market tonight if you see one of these that strikes your fancy.  If not, than check back everyday for the next 10 days and see what's on sale for that day!
Links: Android Market

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Google vs RIAA concerning Mobile Apps

Apparently Google is in the hot seat with the RIAA.  What about?  Seems to be about some apps in the Android Market that allow user's to download MP3's.  One in particular: MP3 Music Download Pro seems to be the topic of much discussion.  The RIAA is claiming that they have issues a take down notice to Google.  And Google did not respond.

Google's stance was that the app could be used for legitimate purposes (like downloading public domain music which is legal and free).  In short, if you have pulled down this app from the Android Market or were planning to I wouldn't be surprised if it disappears very shortly.  Plus, with the RIAA getting involved if you use this app (or apps similar to it) I'd be very careful.  The awkward part for me is the fact that this app promotes downloading music and is very vague as to what it's limitations are (meaning you can technically access copyrighted materials).  And yet, a lot of reputable sources are promoting the app and suggesting it as a great app.  Just because it's mobile doesn't necessarily make it right folks.

I know people in general like free things.  I understand that.  However, I don't see why Google doesn't go ahead and make the leap with a music store offering.  The web has been a buzz for several months now that this would be a viable option for Google.  And one that Google hasn't denied and has actually been working with recording labels on.  Maybe if Google opened their own music retail hub online, and started screening out these free MP3 apps everybody wins.  Customer's get the music their looking for at competitive prices (legally and without RIAA action), Google gets a cut of the profits, and the RIAA is happy that the bad apps are screened out and legit music is filling devices.

Just a thought.

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Is there a Siri for Android? Part 2: Skyvi

Skyvi was the second app I tried out during my quest for a 'Siri-like' app for Android devices.  You can read my post below about my hands-on with Iris incase you missed it (click here: my hands-on with Iris).  I have to say I kind of like Skyvi a little better.  The interface is a little more cluttered and not quite as slick looking as Iris.  However, it is very clear from the get-go what you can do with Skyvi.  When you launch the app, the initial screen you are taken to has a series of categories or buttons you can use to explore assorted questions and tasks you can have Skyvi do for you.

In a similar test to my use of Iris, I started off by asking some simple questions pertaining to things like the weather, my location, etc.  And all seemed to work much like Iris.  But where I really started having fun was letting Skyvi post status updates on Facebook and Twitter for me.  After pairing your Facebook and Twitter accounts with Skyvi it is literally as simple as tapping the microphone icon and saying "Update my Facebook Status".

You will get a voice prompt from Skyvi asking what you want your status to say and a voice box will pop up.  Simply tell it what you want and it will automagically send your status update to Facebook (it will read it back to you once it's posted, so be careful what you say first time around).  The Twitter update works the same way.  Out of the four updates I posted through Skyvi only one of them seemed to be misinterpreted.  Pretty much the same rule of thumb applies to Skyvi as with Iris.  Speak somewhat slow and very clear to get the proper results the first time.

You can even have Skyvi read your Facebook and Twitter updates from friends and you can use it to write a comment on a Facebook friend's wall.  Pretty awesome!  Skyvi is free and is a lot of fun to play with.

To check out Skyvi for yourself, swing by the Android Market at: Skyvi for Android

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Is there a Siri for Android? Part 1: Iris

One of Apple's biggest advertised features of their new iPhone 4S is Siri.  If you have been living under a rock and not sure what Siri is, I'll fill you in.  Siri is basically a virtual personal assistant that recognizes your voice.  Basically you queue up Siri and tell it what to do.  It can do web searches for you, answer questions, give you information (like what your weather is), schedule calendar events, set alarms, etc.  In short, it's pretty freakin' cool.  And I'm not a huge iPhone fan; but Siri is pretty sweet.

So naturally I set out to see if the Android Market had anything similar to Siri available (knowing I wouldn't find much).  Right off the bat I was surprised to find two apps that claim some of the features that Siri includes.  Both allow for speech in and speech out controlling.  In short, you can chat with the app and it can physically talk back to you.  Fun and yes, a little creepy.  I'll be splitting both apps into two articles.  This is the first.

The first I tried was 'Iris'.  Iris is still in Alpha Development as of this writing but it is fun to play with.  As far as being a productive tool, I can't quite call it that yet.  But it is a blast to screw around with.  The first few minutes spent with Iris was full of laughs and learning.  You can ask Iris to tell you what your local weather forecast is and it will return in voice results with your local temperature, etc.  If you ask it a question about a movie or song it will return information about the source material in question.

The app is somewhat slick looking with a solid, black background and only a blue orb on the screen.  You simply press the orb and when the speech box pops up on screen fire a question or comment at Iris.  Your searches and results will build a list down the screen keeping track of your discussion with Iris.  Within the first few minutes Iris has correctly returned search results about several songs and television characters.  My next question was asking it for the phone number for a local pizza restaurant, which should have been simple enough via a quick web search.

Instead Iris informed me that she "wasn't going to give me her phone number..."  Which was hilarious since I have never tried to "pick up" and electronic device before.  I have noticed with Iris that the correct searches are driven from very clear spoken word.  You also have to go slow sometimes for Iris to understand you.  But the fact that this works as well as it does is crazy.  It's almost like having Jarvis (Tony Stark's AI voice from Iron Man) in your pocket. 

But considering the story behind Iris, it is amazing that the app is already this far along in progress.  Simply put the initial app was developed in around 8 hours by the folks at Dexetra.com.  I look forward to seeing how development on this app progresses.

And if you haven't noticed yet, Iris = Siri spelled backwards. Clever!  It also works on both phones and tablets.

Anyways, if you'd like to check out Iris then swing by the Android Market:
Iris (alpha) on Android Market

Click here: to see my hands-on with Skyvi (another Siri-like app for Android)

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Review: Shadowgun for Android

Yesterday, MadFinger Games released the much anticipated shooter entitled 'Shadowgun' to the Android Market.  The game itself is powered by the Unity Game Engine and it is indeed very sweet.  For those who aren't familiar with MadFinger Games; they are the team behind games such as Samurai II: Vengeance (and previous 'Samurai' titles), 'Bloody Xmas', and a couple others.  To be completely upfront about it, the game is currently going for $4.99 from the Android Market.  And yes, it is worth every penny.  If nothing else but to see how good this game looks on your device.

For starters, the game is basically a third person perspective, cover based shooter.  Meaning you'll basically navigate your way through each area taking cover behind obstacles and shooting it out against robotic gun turrets and mutant soldiers.  If you have ever played games like 'Gears of War' on the Xbox 360 than you'll be fairly familiar with the cover based concept.

You will assume the roll of John Slade, who works as an intergalactic bounty hunter.  Tasked with the mission of hunting down Dr. Edgar Simon, who apparently went rogue and swiped some genetic samples and decided to buckle down on the planet named 'Eve'.  Obviously in the year 2350 (when the game takes place), bounty hunters go by the title of 'shadowgun'.  Hence the game's name.

The sound is about par with any action-shooter title you have probably played in the past.  With gun shots and explosions being the norm through about every room you work through.  Where the game excels in my book are the controls.  You do have the option to use a game pad.  Honestly, I haven't attempted using a controller yet.  Mostly because the onscreen controls are pretty streamlined and are easy to work with.

Much like other shooter style games on Android devices, the controls are 'ghosted' portions of the screen where the digital control stick appear under your left thumb (for movement), while swiping your right thumb aims the cross hair for your weapon.  Running directly up to an obstacle makes your character automatically use it for cover.

You have four other buttons onscreen:
- In the top left of the screen you have the pause button.
- Top right of the screen is your selected weapon (tap the icon to change weapons).
- On the right side of the screen there are two buttons. One for shooting (which becomes an interaction button near mission critical objects).  The second button is for reloading your weapon of choice.

Overall the controls work pretty well.  The only real issue I have had is getting away from an obstacle when under cover.  The idea is that you simply use your left thumb to navigate away from the obstacle.  But sometimes it doesn't quite work the way you think it should.  But that is the only issue I have had, and it doesn't happen often enough to detract from the experience.

There are three games modes (easy, normal, and hard).  There are also collectible icons you can find when playing through the game that unlocks items in the 'Extras' menu.  These items just appear to be profile cards about the characters in the game.  Which provides for background to flesh out the character stories.

All in all, I have absolutely no complaints about 'Shadowgun'.  It looks great and plays smooth.  I'm having a really hard time believing my eyes that this game is running on a mobile device.  I'm running it on my Acer Iconia a500 tablet, and have had no issues whatsoever.  You can swing by the Android Market on your Android device and see if it's available for you.  But if you're a fan of shooter games, or games that require more attention than some of the puzzle games that tend to fill the market, than this game is for you.

To see my previous post about Shadowgun, and see the game's trailer check out:
Shadowgun on iOS...But not Android...Yet!

Results:
I highly recommend this game for anybody who likes a 'heavier' game for their Android Device.  The game is also available for iOS (which received it's release last month).

Pros: Great controls, looks amazing and is fun to play.  From what I have played so far, the difficulty starts off fairly easy and ramps up as you play.
Cons: Occasionally, I tend to get stuck behind cover.  Fiddling around with the controls eventually gets the player loose.  But this doesn't happen often. (BTW, those spider bombs creepily suck). lol

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

To download 'Shadowgun' to your Android Device, visit the Android Market.  The game retails for $4.99 and requires Android 2.2 and up.
Visit: Android Market- Shadowgun by MadFinger Games

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Minecraft Now On Android Market!

For those of you who just can't get enough Minecraft and are running an Android device; you should be thrilled! Minecraft has been released on the Android Market as: Minecraft-Pocket Edition!  Honestly, I haven't tried this app yet out of sheer fear that I will get hooked.

Minecraft took the world by storm earlier this year as a game with extremely simple graphics but extremely addictive gameplay.  Essentially providing an outlet for gamer's to build their own worlds and environments as they see fit using an assortment of blocks.  Beware, if you are looking to purchase this app it sells for a whopping $6.99; however, there is a free demo available on the Android Market as well.  The demo doesn't save the world between sessions, limits player's to 18 of the 36 blocks, and multiplayer worlds can't be copied to your device.  So; as you can see it is rather limited, but should give you a taste of the game anyways.

If you're interested, swing by:
Minecraft-Pocket Edition on the Android Market

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Android App Review: ChannelCaster

Last night I stumbled upon a great little app in the Android Market.  It is called 'ChannelCaster: Social News'.  It's no Flipboard (for iPad) but it's pretty freakin' close.  It allows you to setup news feeds and it displays them as little 'channels' on the screen.  What I like about it is that you can add a news source from just about any website's RSS Feed and it will organize it like a futuristic magazine.

I did this with the RSS Feed from Techiesmarts.com and was so impressed with the way it looked I tweeted it out across Twitter using the built in 'Share' feature (which apparently just links you back to their official website, not my channel-my mistake).  You have the option of making your custom channel private or public for other's to see and interact with.  There are also prebuilt channels that cover a wide range of just about any kind of news you'd want to see split up into different categories.  From entertainment to technology, it's all there.

Currently the app is only available on Android device; but is expected to come to the iPhone and iPad soon.  And it's free to download!

Pro's: Love the layout and presentation of the feeds once the channels have been built.  Love being able to use custom RSS Feeds.  They have a small but growing community as well.  Easily one of my favorite newsreader apps!

Con's: At first the app can be a little intimidating leaving the user unsure of how to interact and add new channels.  After a little playing around, you can easily figure it out.  The Share via Twitter function links back to their official website, not my custom channel.

I'd rate this app: 4 out of 5 stars!

Checkout: ChannelCaster in the Android Market
The official website is: http://channelcasterapp.com/

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Android App Review: Meganoid

One of the other apps I've gotten into lately would be Meganoid.  This game was developed by the folks over at Orange Pixel.  And in short, I can easily describe this game as the funnest frustration you may ever have.  If it's one thing they make known in the Android Market listing is that "this game is not easy".

When I saw that statement, I found myself subconsciously clicking 'Install' on my Tablet's Market Browser.  I'm always up for a good challenge.  And I must say that this game has met that challenge.  So here's the deal.  The game is a throwback to the good old 8-bit days of gaming's past.  With simple graphics and simple gameplay the difficulty ramps up as your progress through the game.  From jumping on moving platforms to clearing pits of spikes it's all here from what we know and love about those old platformer games.  Even the sound will take you back to the days of classic Mega Man.

The controls are easy to learn; you have a left and right arrow to move accordingly.  And a jump button.  That's it.  You can execute a double jump by hitting the jump button again once you're airborn.  This game is charming but challenging.  And to beat it all, it's price is great.  It's free!

I would have paid for this game.  That is how good it is. It even supports Open Feint for trophy and achievement tracking.  And if your not so sure try out TimeChaos on the web to see what Orange Pixel has up their sleeve:
http://orangepixel.net/timechaos/flash/

I rate it: 5 out of 5 stars!

Pro's: The controls are easy to use.  It's a great retro throwback to 8-bit platformer titles.
Con's: It's difficulty can melt your brains at times.

Visit the Android Market to Download it for your device: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.meganoid.engine&feature=search_result

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Free Apps for Mobile Devices!

Everybody who has a smartphone, tablet, iPad, or iPod Touch no undoubtedly loves apps.  Why?  Because they are the center of our mobile ecosystem.  If you have a mobile device you almost always have to have apps! It doesn't matter what platform you are on.  Whether it be an iOS device utilizing the Apple App Store or an Android based device running the Google Android Market.

But one of the constant complaints from all sides is that there aren't enough free apps out there.  Personally, I have an iPod Touch and an Acer Iconia a500 Android Tablet.  From my experiences, there are more free apps in the Android Market than are available for m iPod Touch.  At least in the categories I search in anyways. So aside from doing the obvious (which we do not condone on this site) is to jailbreak/root and find alternative ways to get your apps that may involve getting them for free.

There are many reasons to stay away from this method.
1- App developers need support too.  Without the support from the purchasers of a given app; future apps or even updates could be hindered.  In short, don't rip off the little guy!

2- Security.  Most of the alternative methods for acquiring apps tend to require you sticking your neck out there and exposing your device (and possibly personal information) to the world.

3- It's stealing!  Being upfront and honest by purchasing your apps not only means you have a clean, safe app.  But it also ensures that the cost of apps can stay down where they are cheap and affordable.  Start stealing them, and watch prices go up.

Since we aren't looking at the shady ways to get our hands on free app, how do we get free apps?

Simple!  If your on an iOS device (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) than swing by: http://www.freeappaday.com/
At FreeAppADay, they give away one app for free everyday just as the name implies.  If you visit it from your PC it will link you up with iTunes to download from the Apple App Store.  If you're on your iDevice, it will launch the Apple App Store for you.  Simply acting as a way to promote to the free app.

They do have a section for Android Apps, but unfortunately it looks like that section hasn't been updated in quite some time.

For those of us Android enthusiasts looking for a free app fix.  Than checkout the Amazon App Store.  Everyday a commercial app is highlighted on the Amazon App Store for free.  There are two catches to this.
1- You have to be registered with Amazon to use the app.  Already have an Amazon account, you're good to go.
2- The Amazon App Store apk file has to remain installed on your device in order to use any apps downloaded via the Amazon App Store. (Regardless whether they were free apps or purchased)

So remember, there are other ways to get apps.  But before you venture down the road to the "Dark Side" be sure to checkout the legitimate ways to get your hands on free apps. Remember, good techie karma!

To visit the sites mentioned in this article:
Free App A Day: http://www.freeappaday.com/
Amazon App Store: http://www.amazon.com/mobile-apps/b?ie=UTF8&node=2350149011

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Android Security in a Nutshell

A hot topic within the mobile technology world for sometime now has been the topic of malware, virus protection, and security.  If you are an Android user, you've probably seen the anti-virus apps in the Android Market for AVG and Norton (and I think there are a few others as well).  These apps are good and well for some I'm sure.

Personally, I installed the AVG mobile app on Acer Iconia a500 and wasn't impressed with the app at all.  It runs in the background (even though I didn't notice a hit to the performance); I couldn't tell that it was actually doing a proactive job at protecting me anymore than if I were to use a good square head and some common sense.

So, in the spirit of making informed choices based on common sense, here is a short list of things you can do to help make your Android experience a little safer for you and others.

1- Only download from trusted sources.
There are a lot of apps in the Android Market.  And pretty much anyone can make an Android App and get it listed.  Google filters out some of the junk apps over time, but they definitely don't catch everything.  When browsing the Android Market I try to look for apps that are developed by individuals or companies who I am familiar with.  I would rather purchase a game from a company  like GamEvil or Gameloft as opposed to John Doe from Kentucky.  If it looks funny or questionable, it probably is.  If the app listing doesn't have pictures or video of the app in action, I pass it up.  No question. If they can't show it off, I shouldn't waste my time on it.  Simple as that.  Every app has a list of permissions it needs when being ran.  Keep an eye on these, they will help you sniff out whether or not a specific app should be trusted.

2- Leave 'Download from Untrusted Sources' disabled.
If you may be tempted to try an app you found on somebodies website where you download the individual .apk file; you probably need to leave the option to download/install from these sources alone.  By default it is disabled by most devices.  It is easy to get a hold of a bad .apk using this means of installation.

3- Use only trusted App Markets.
There are several Marketplaces out there, beside Google's Android Market.  Aside from the included Google Android Market, I also have Amazon's App Store installed.  For those who aren't familiar with Amazon's offering, their prices are competitive with Google's Android Market.  However, Amazon gives away a paid app for free everyday.  Sometimes the apps are rather simple or dull.  And sometimes they are top notch mobile games.

The only catch to Amazon's App Store, is any app you have installed using the Amazon App Store requires the Amazon App Store to be on the device to launch the app.  Otherwise, it's great.

4- Secure your device.
This can be done by setting a lock screen password or gesture on most Android devices.  After all, security threats don't just linger online.  It can come from you leaving your phone plugged up in the break room at work.  Or if your device gets lost or stolen, there are even apps that allow you to remotely wipe or locate your device.

5- Beware of who you share information with online.
It's true, we are as mobile as we ever were.  And we all still require the same amount of data retention on the go as we do sitting on our couches playing with smartphones.  But this same concept can be used in basic, everyday computing as well.  Always remember what services you use on your device, and make sure that they will never send an email asking for your account credentials  If you receive a request via email or live chat asking for any personal information, it's a good idea to contact the host of those services directly (by physically visiting their site, sending an email yourself to their support, or calling them) to verify the situation.  In most cases, you can even forward the email to the host and let them record the email as spam.

Using these 5 simple concepts will make not only your mobile experience a much safer one, but your everyday computer use will benefit too.  It is true that mobile malware is becoming more of a threat to your Android device, but keep in mind that this malware has to be run by you (the user).  So the front line defense for any device should be the user (you) keeping a clear head on what you are running.

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Android App Review: N.O.V.A. 2 for Android Devices

If you are have at any point been an iOS fan/gamer you may have either seen or even played one of Gameloft's coolest titles: N.O.V.A.: Near Orbital Vanguard Alliance for the Apple's iDevices.  I actually still play this one on my iPod Touch.  It's that awesome.  So, I was more than thrilled to see that it's sequel: N.O.V.A. 2 has an Android port, and that it runs flawlessly on my Acer Iconia a500 Tablet.

If you were able to get in on their back to school sale, the game was only 99 cents on the Android Market.  It looks like it has gone back up to $6.99 recently.  But even at $6.99, this game is awesome.  The sequel to the much acclaimed N.O.V.A. brings back the on screen controls and outstanding graphics that originally made it such a hit with mobile gamers.

So, for those who don't know...What is it?  N.O.V.A. 2 is a first person shooter for Android and iOS devices.  It is based in a sci-fi world where the story picks up 6 years after the first game.  The game's intro video is amazing for a mobile game.  And the gameplay is just as awesome.  The story throws your character into the middle of a crazy civil war between human colonists and a central government with shady intentions.

In the first few minutes of actual gameplay, you get a crazy action sequence that involves some Halo style features.  The sound is much of what you'd expect from a first person shooter.  So nothing crazy there.  But where this game shines (and I can't say thing enough) is in the graphics department.  The game's visuals are amazing for a mobile device.  I use my tablet for reading, web surfing, and watching the occasional video clip on YouTube.  So to jump from those uses, into a game of this quality is awesome.

The game also includes online play (which I haven't tried yet).  I have the bad habit of playing too much multiplayer and not enough single player modes, that I try to save the multiplayer for later.  My personal preference.  So are there any downsides to the game?

In my opinion, only one.  It's the controls.  Sure, the controls are pulled off via on screen overlays.  But I tend to find myself drifting my thumbs up and down the left and right edges of my tablet.  Making it easy for me to throw my view and aim off in crazy directions.  Especially when the crap hits the fan during fire fights.




What I would like to see accomplished with the controls, is support for controllers and gamepads in Honeycomb 3.2 devices.  Other games have pulled this off (Riptide GP by Vector Unit) so I don't see why Gameloft doesn't grant us that option with N.O.V.A. 2.  That would make an already awesome mobile gaming experience all that more better.

It is obvious that games like Halo seemed to lend some inspiration the the game's developers.  Gameloft is one of those companies who are notorious for publishing games that borrow aspects heavily from other game titles (often people cite Gameloft titles to resemble the art style of games like WoW, GTA, Halo, and some others).

So when it comes right down to it.  What is the verdict on N.O.V.A. 2?  Is it a must buy or a pass?

Verdict:
-Must Buy!
For mobile gamers looking for a great looking and challenging game, check it out. Likewise, fans of First Person Shooters in general shouldn't pass this one up.

Cons:
The cons are pretty limited on this one.  I would like to see controller and gamepad compatibility.  And one issue I have read about (and seems to plague Gameloft's titles in general) is hardware support.  It will either work or it won't be compatible.  I can confirm that is runs great on the Acer Iconia a500 tablet.

Techie's Rating:

Checkout the Android Marketplace to pick this title up:
Gameloft's N.O.V.A. 2: http://bit.ly/oRbmQS
Cost: $6.99 USD

Happy Surfing!

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